Exercising With Asthma

If you have asthma, exercise can be a wonderful ally. It can reduce the effort of breathing, alleviate stress, and improve overall immunity-all of which decrease the risk and severity of attacks, says Gailen D. Marshall, MD, PhD, director of allergy and immunology at the University of Texas-Houston Medical Center.

But wheezing, chest tightness, or breathlessness can make exercising more difficult. For a more comfortable workout, try these tips:

Ease into it. Because sudden changes in activity can trigger symptoms, buffer your workout with at least 10 minutes of warmup and cooldown time.

Reduce salt. In a recent study, Robert Gotshall, PhD, of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, found that a low-sodium diet improved breathing and reduced exercise-induced asthma (EIA) symptoms. Aim for no more than 2,000 mg per day.

Get more vitamin C. Researchers found that 80% of EIA patients who consumed high amounts (2,000 mg) of vitamin C prior to exercise had no symptoms. Prevention recommends no more than 2,000 mg per day in food or supplement form.

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